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第35节

benita-第35节

小说: benita 字数: 每页4000字

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perceived wounded Matabele staggering and crawling back towards their

camp。 Of these; the light now better; Jacob did not neglect to take

his toll。



Meanwhile; the ancient fortress rang with the hideous tumult of the

attack。 It was evident that again and again; as their fierce war…

shouts proclaimed; the Matabele were striving to scale the wall; and

again and again were beaten back by the raking rifle fire。 Once a

triumphant yell seemed to announce their success。 The fire slackened

and Benita grew pale with fear。



〃The Makalanga cowards are bolting;〃 muttered Mr。 Clifford; listening

with terrible anxiety。



But if so their courage came back to them; for presently the guns

cracked louder and more incessant than before; and the savage cries of

〃Kill! Kill! Kill!〃 dwindled and died away。 Another five minutes and

the Matabele were in full retreat; bearing with them many dead and

wounded men upon their backs or stretched out on the ladders。



〃Our Makalanga friends should be grateful to us for those hundred

rifles;〃 said Jacob as he loaded and fired rapidly; sending his

bullets wherever the clusters were thickest。 〃Had it not been for them

their throats would have been cut by now;〃 he added; 〃for they could

never have stopped those savages with the spear。〃



〃Yes; and ours too before nightfall;〃 said Benita with a shudder; for

the sight of this desperate fray and fear of how it might end had

sickened her。 〃Thank Heaven; it is over! Perhaps they will give up the

siege and go away。〃



But; notwithstanding their costly defeat; for they had lost over a

hundred men; the Matabele; who were afraid to return to Buluwayo

except as victors; did nothing of the sort。 They only cut down a

quantity of reeds and scrub; and moved their camp nearly to the banks

of the river; placing it in such a position that it could no longer be

searched by the fire of the two white men。 Here they sat themselves

down sullenly; hoping to starve out the garrison or to find some other

way of entering the fortress。



Now Meyer's shooting having come to an end for lack of men to shoot

at; since the enemy exposed themselves no more; he was again able to

give his full attention to the matter of the treasure hunt。



As nothing could be found in the cave he devoted himself to the

outside enclosure which; it may be remembered; was grown over with

grass and trees and crowded with ruins。 In the most important of these

ruins they began to dig somewhat aimlessly; and were rewarded by

finding a certain amount of gold in the shape of beads and ornaments;

and a few more skeletons of ancients。 But of the Portuguese hoard

there was no sign。 Thus it came about that they grew gloomier day by

day; till at last they scarcely spoke to each other。 Jacob's angry

disappointment was written on his face; and Benita was filled with

despair; since to escape from their gaoler above and the Matabele

below seemed impossible。 Moreover; she had another cause for anxiety。



The ill…health which had been threatening her father for a long while

now fell upon him in earnest; so that of a sudden he became a very old

man。 His strength and energy left him; and his mind was so filled with

remorse for what he held to be his crime in bringing his daughter to

this awful place; and with terror for the fate that threatened her;

that he could think of nothing else。 In vain did she try to comfort

him。 He would only wring his hands and groan; praying that God and she

would forgive him。 Now; too; Meyer's mastery over him became

continually more evident。 Mr。 Clifford implored the man; almost with

tears; to unblock the wall and allow them to go down to the Makalanga。

He even tried to bribe him with the offer of all his share of the

treasure; if it were found; and when that failed; of his property in

the Transvaal。



But Jacob only told him roughly not to be a fool; as they had to see

the thing through together。 Then he would go again and brood by

himself; and Benita noticed that he always took his rifle or a pistol

with him。 Evidently he feared lest her father should catch him

unprepared; and take the law into his own hands by means of a sudden

bullet。



One comfort she had; however: although he watched her closely; the Jew

never tried to molest her in any way; not even with more of his

enigmatic and amorous speeches。 By degrees; indeed; she came to

believe that all this was gone from his mind; or that he had abandoned

his advances as hopeless。



A week passed since the Matabele attack; and nothing had happened。 The

Makalanga took no notice of them; and so far as she was aware the old

Molimo never attempted to climb the blocked wall or otherwise to

communicate with them; a thing so strange that; knowing his affection

for her; Benita came to the conclusion that he must be dead; killed

perhaps in the attack。 Even Jacob Meyer had abandoned his digging; and

sat about all day doing nothing but think。



Their meal that night was a miserable affair; since in the first place

provisions were running short and there was little to eat; and in the

second no one spoke a word。 Benita could swallow no food; she was

weary of that sun…dried trek…ox; for since Meyer had blocked the wall

they had little else。 But by good fortune there remained plenty of

coffee; and of this she drank two cups; which Jacob prepared and

handed to her with much politeness。 It tasted very bitter to her; but

this; Benita reflected; was because they lacked milk and sugar。 Supper

ended; Meyer rose and bowed to her; muttering that he was going to

bed; and a few minutes later Mr。 Clifford followed his example。 She

went with her father to the hut beneath the tree; and having helped

him to remove his coat; which now he seemed to find difficulty in

doing for himself; bade him good…night and returned to the fire。



It was very lonely there in the silence; for no sound came from either

the Matabele or the Makalanga camps; and the bright moonlight seemed

to people the place with fantastic shadows that looked alive。 Benita

cried a little now that her father could not see her; and then also

sought refuge in bed。 Evidently the end; whatever it might be; was

near; and of it she could not bear to think。 Moreover; her eyes were

strangely heavy; so much so that before she had finished saying her

prayers sleep fell upon her; and she knew no more。



Had she remained as wakeful as it was often her fate to be during

those fearful days; towards midnight she might have heard some light…

footed creature creeping to her tent; and seen that the moon…rays

which flowed through the gaping and ill…closed flap were cut off by

the figure of a man with glowing eyes; whose projected arms waved over

her mysteriously。 But Benita neither heard nor saw。 In her drugged

rest she did not know that her sleep turned gradually to a magic

swoon。 She had no knowledge of her rising; or of how she threw her

thick cloak about her; lit her lamp; and; in obedience to that

beckoning finger; glided from the tent。 She never heard her father

stumble from his hut; disturbed by the sound of footsteps; or the

words that passed between him and Jacob Meyer; while; lamp in hand;

she stood near them like a strengthless ghost。



〃If you dare to wake her;〃 hissed Jacob; 〃I tell you that she will

die; and afterwards you shall die;〃 and he fingered the pistol at his

belt。 〃No harm shall come to herI swear it! Follow and see。 Man;

man; be silent; our fortunes hang on it。〃



Then; overcome also by the strange fierceness of that voice and gaze;

he followed。



On they go to the winding neck of the cavern; first Jacob walking

backwards like the herald of majesty; then majesty itself in the shape

of this long…haired; death…like woman; cloaked and bearing in her hand

the light; and last; behind; the old; white…bearded man; like Time

following Beauty to the grave。 Now they were in the great cavern; and

now; avoiding the open tombs; the well mouth and the altar; they stood

beneath the crucifix。



〃Be seated;〃 said Meyer; and the entranced Benita sat herself down

upon the steps at the foot of the cross; placing the lamp on the rock

pavement before her; and bowing her head till her hair fell upon her

naked feet and hid them。 He held his hands above her for a while; then

asked:



〃Do you sleep?〃



〃I sleep;〃 came the strange; slow answer。



〃Is your spirit awake?〃



〃It is awake。〃



〃Command it to travel backwards through the ages to the beginning; and

tell me what you see here。〃



〃I see a rugged cave and wild folk dwelling in it; an old man is dying

yonder;〃 and she pointed to the right; 〃and a black woman with a babe

at her breast tends him。 A man; it is her husband; enters the cave。 He

holds a torch in one hand; and with the other drags a buck。〃



〃Cease;〃 said Meyer。 〃How long is this ago?〃



〃Thirty…three thousand two hundred and one years;〃 came the answer;

spoken 

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